Hawthorne pleased with NACAC returns

Danny Hawthorne, head coach of Jamaica's track and field athletics team that just competed in the North American, Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) Under-23 Championships in Miramar, Florida, expressed pleasure with their effort, when the team returned to the island yesterday.

The Jamaicans earned 11 medals - one gold, five silver and five bronze.

"I am extremely pleased with the team's performance," he said.

"I would like to single out people like Kimberly Williams, Oshane Bailey, Odayne Richards, Rasheed Dwyer, Rosemarie Carty and Nikita Tracey, who all got individual medals," said Hawthorne, who spoke about the individual medallist.

Tracey, who ran a personal-best 56.89 seconds to capture bronze in the 400 metres hurdles, expressed joy at her achievement.

"I feel great to know that I was able to get a medal and run a personal best. I wanted to PR at Boys and Girls' Championships but I did not. But to come and do it while representing my country made me very proud," said Tracey, who noted that she did not expect to run so fast.

"My intention was to go out there and do my best despite seeing that most of my competitors had won major medals at the collegiate level," said Tracey, whose personal best before the meet was 57.41 seconds.

Medallists

GOLD

Kimberly Williams - triple jump - 14.14m

SILVER

Samantha Henry - 100m - 11.25

Oshane Bailey - 100m - 10.11

4x100m women - Rosemary Carty, Audria Segree, Samantha Henry, Trisha-Ann Hawthorne - 44.20

4x100m men - Oshane Bailey, Ramone McKenzie, Rasheed Dwyer, Jacques Harvey - 39.36

4x400m women - Nikita Tracey, Andrea Reid, Alecia Cutenar, Verone Chambers

BRONZE

Melissa Ogbourne - triple jump - 13.35m

Rosemary Carty - 100H - 13.22

Rasheed Dwyer - 200m - 20.64

Odayne Richards - shot put - 18.03m

Nikita Tracey - 400H - 56.89.